Getting into breeding for first time

[OneStepAhead]

I'm looking to try my hand at crossing tomatoes. Can anyone explain what the advantage of is to trying to cross and then stabilize 2 open pollinated types, versus just making F1 Hybrids? It seems to me, many growers say hybrids are more vigorous, and you'd be able to maintain control over your seeds if one or both of the parents are a secret. Thank you

[jmsieglaff]

Your post makes sense. If you want control and want to keep one or both parents a secret, then yes F1 hybrid is the way to go. Although often the F1 will surprise you and may not yield the exact traits you're after. For the home grower you'll just need to make the cross enough times to make the seeds you need.

Alternatively, making a cross, following subsequent generations to the goal you want and eventually having a stable variety is easily saved and shared with others. The genetic segregation at the F2 and F3 points (assuming you can grow enough plants) can yield some genetic combinations that could be rather unlike the F1, which may also be attractive (fruit color, fruit size, etc.)

[Fred Hempel]

In my experience, selecting OP varieties after an initial cross is a very good way to go if you want to optimize flavor. And if production/vigor/disease resistance are not huge concerns the OP varieties you create can be very satisfactory and you have the advantage of easily saving seeds, and passing them to others, if you like.

Once you start trying to combine flavor with other traits needed in varieties that can be confidently used in production (farming) situations, the value of creating hybrids starts to make sense.

I had a bit more to say about OP and hybrid breeding last year in two articles I wrote for "Growing For Market"

[OneStepAhead]

Thank you Fred, I will certainly read that. I saved a seed in 2019 from a tomato I bought at the Madison, WI farmers market. I marked it as "favorite 2019 cherry tomato". I found out later the tomato was Blush, and I've been growing it since. Well done!

-Clay

[Fred Hempel]

Originally Posted by OneStepAhead

Thank you Fred, I will certainly read that. I saved a seed in 2019 from a tomato I bought at the Madison, WI farmers market. I marked it as "favorite 2019 cherry tomato". I found out later the tomato was Blush, and I've been growing it since. Well done!

-Clay

That's great! The story of Blush is in the first of the two articles. We always still grow a bit of Blush on our farm too. And this year it seems to be growing quite well.

[OneStepAhead]

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

That's great! The story of Blush is in the first of the two articles. We always still grow a bit of Blush on our farm too. And this year it seems to be growing quite well.

For me it was first to ripen out of the 30 cultivars I planted this year. Even beat Stupice by 2 days. I also started it earlier, but still I was impressed with its earliness. Planted them 5/17 outside zone 5b, harvested first ripe tomato July 1. They are probably 5' now and extremely bushy and prolific.

[Fred Hempel]

This is the second article I wrote about breeding. Hope it is in some way helpful.